The African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSOCC) has appointed a Nigerian Clergyman and General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries (OPM), Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, as its AU Agenda-2063 ambassador.
ECOSOCC is an advisory body of the African Union established to give civil society organisations a voice within AU institutions and decision-making processes.
Speaking at a one-day interactive session on “State of affairs: Role of youths” as well as investiture of Chinyere as agenda-2063 ambassador in Abuja yesterday, 1st-Nigerian Representative of the Permanent General Assembly of AU-ECOSOCC, Mr Tunji Asaolu said Chinyere was appointed as ambassador because he is worthy of emulation and deserves it.
He said: “We are appointing you as an African role model because it is exactly what you are. We are doing this because we want other people to actually emulate you.
“Imagine if we have more Nigerians doing like you across the country, particularly encouraging people to surrender their guns.
“I am sure kidnapping will drastically be reduced and the environment will be safer for all of us; this is the Pan-African spirit we are reawakening.
“The Pan-African spirit is fast eroding and we are trying to reawaken that mindset.
“You are also an AU Agenda-2063 ambassador to promote the implementation of the set goals,” Asaolu said.
In his remarks, the Head, Strategy and Business Development of Pan-African Chamber of Culture, Trade and Investment, Mr Charles Folayan, said the choice of Chinyere was based on his contributions to youth development.
Folayan stated that the appointment was also based on Chinyere’s outstanding humanitarian contributions to the vulnerable in the area of youth empowerment, rehabilitation and healthcare outreach for women and children.
“We are celebrating a man who is not a politician; when the missionaries came, they did not only bring Christianity, but education and other means to help our people out of poverty.
“It is unfortunate that we have many well placed persons, yet not all of them place priority on helping the needy.
“So, when we have a clergyman doing good work to help vulnerable people in the country, we want others to emulate such,” Folayan said.
Responding, Chinyere said over 10,000 youths have been trained under OPM who are now entrepreneurs.
“If this can be replicated in different areas of our economy, we can achieve 90 percent, if not 100 per cent targets of our national goals”, he said.
While noting that the OPM empowerment initiative was born out of the need to promote youth development in the country, he said the nation will be empowered, if youths are empowered.
He said: “Youths are the leaders of tomorrow and if States and the Federal Government could concentrate more on empowering youths through skills acquisition programmes, a lot could be achieved.
“This nation is built on the youths. If youths are empowered, the nation is empowered.
“Youths should take over the reins; the only way our country can move forward is when the youths take over affairs,” Chinyere added.
The Highlight of the event was the presentation of a plaque and vehicle plate number with the inscription “Au Agenda-2063 Amb24” to Chinyere by Asaolu.
The event was organised by the African Youth International Development Foundation and Wewe Network Afrique in collaboration with the AU-ECOSOCC Nigeria.